Friends of Chamber Music’s 45th season pairs talented artists with string quartets
In Seamus Heaney’s translation of the Anglo-Saxon epic “Beowulf,” the titular hero says, “Fate goes ever as fate must.” It is with this courageous faith in the future that Cynthia Siebert has forged a path for the 45th anniversary season of her esteemed Friends of Chamber Music.
No matter what twists and turns the COVID-19 saga will take, Siebert is going full-speed ahead with plans for an outstanding 2020-2021 season, which includes a performance of “Beowulf” sung by Benjamin Bagby in the original Anglo-Saxon. That’s one of many offerings worthy of this organization’s 45th anniversary.
Siebert says she’s strategized her programming with safety in mind during the pandemic.
“We put most of our concerts in the spring to give us the best opportunity to present, and we are identifying ways to present those groups who might be unable to perform live, such as streaming,” she said. “We’ve had to postpone some concerts due to touring issues, but we’re remaining in constant conversation with managers, musicians and our patrons.”
If all goes as planned, Kansas City is in store for an amazing season of chamber music. The Friends is known for bringing the world’s greatest string quartets to Kansas City, but to make its 45th season special, every quartet performance next season will feature an additional artist.
The Doric String Quartet, for example, will be joined by the acclaimed young British pianist Benjamin Grosvenor for quintets by Elgar and Fauré. Italian pianist Fabio Bidini will perform a Brahms quintet with the Modigliani Quartet. And powerhouse pianist Garrick Ohlsson will join the Apollon Musagète Quartet for the Piano Quintet in G Minor by Dmitri Shostakovich. Siebert, herself a fine pianist, made her last appearance on her own series when she played that quintet with the Vermeer Quartet in 1996.
The cello and piano duet Runge&Ammon will alternate the music of Beethoven with pop icons of our own era.
“‘Revolutionary Icons’ is one of the most eclectic concerts we’ve ever presented,” Siebert said. “Eckart Runge and Jacques Ammon’s vision of combining Beethoven with contemporary artists such as Frank Zappa, Paul McCartney and Miles Davis will make this an unforgettable concert.”
More Beethoven is coming up in March with a Beethoven Festival at the 1900 Building. Siebert considers the festival to be “the centerpiece of the season.”
“The Morgenstern Trio will perform the entire cycle of Beethoven’s Piano Trios over two days that is a re-creation of our 1980 presentation of the legendary Beaux Arts Trio,” she said.
William Everett, professor of musicology at the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Conservatory of Music and Dance, and other Kansas City arts experts will give presentations to heighten appreciation of the performances.
In anticipation of the worldwide celebration of the birth of Molière in 2022, the Friends will present Ensemble Correspondances on April 18. This ensemble, led by up-and-coming early music star Sébastien Daucé, will perform sacred music by Marc-Antoine Charpentier, who wrote the music for the first performance of Molière’s “Le malade imaginaire” (The imaginary invalid).
Recitals by pianists Vladimir Feltsman, Inon Barnatan and Sergei Babayan will round out the season.
For tickets and more information, 816-561-9999 or www.chambermusic.org.
The schedule:
▪ Nov. 1: “Revolutionary Icons” with Runge&Ammon (Plaza Branch of the Kansas City Public Library, 4801 Main St.)
▪ Jan. 17, 2021: Doric String Quartet with Benjamin Grosvenor, pianist (Folly Theater)
▪ Jan. 23: Benjamin Bagby’s “Beowulf” (Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral, 415 W. 13th)
▪ Jan. 30: Vladimir Feltsman, pianist (Folly Theater)
▪ Feb. 19: Apollon Musagète Quartet with Garrick Ohlsson, pianist (Folly Theater)
▪ March 12: Beethoven Festival featuring the Morgenstern Trio (1900 Building, 1900 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Mission Woods)
▪ March 13: Beethoven Festival featuring the Morgenstern Trio at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. (1900 Building)
▪ March 19: Modigliani Quartet with pianist Fabio Bidini (Folly Theater)
▪ April 10: Inon Barnatan, pianist (Folly Theater)
▪ April 18: Ensemble Correspondances (Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 416 W. 12th St.)
▪ May 16: Sergei Babayan, pianist (Folly Theater)
You can reach Patrick Neas at patrickneas@kcartsbeat.com and follow his Facebook page, KC Arts Beat, at www.facebook.com/kcartsbeat.
This story was originally published June 26, 2020 at 7:00 AM.